Portable electric heater



1. c. cLuTTs. PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY 20,1920.

1,358,059. mm Nov. 9,1920.

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I A P P L l C A T l 0 N f l L E D 1 U L Y 2 0 I 9 2 0. 1,358,059,- Pantea Nov. 9, 1920.

2 SHEET ssss EET 2.

UNITED STATES .TosEPH c. cLUT'rs, or rom1 moins, xEN'rUcxY.

'PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER.

' Specification o'f/Letters Patent. Patented. N0v,9, 192() Application :neva .Tuiy 2o, i920., seriai No. 397,690.

To (zZZlfwmv/i it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'JOSEPH C. CLUTTS, a

citizen of the United States, and residing at Fort Thomas, in the county of Campbell and .State of Kentucky, haveinventeda new and useful Improvement in Portable Electric Heaters, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

'My invention relates 'particularly to a portable electric heater and air circulating device. t f

One of the featuresof the invention re- .lates to the provision of an electric heating device which effects a thorough heating of the air passing therethrough, which does not unduly obstruct the passage of the air,

and which permits of the use of a small numformed and easily made heatlator only, the heater portion of the structure being removable from the air circulating mechanism to permit the circulating mech;

anism to function freely and without interference and to render the device less cummotor driven fan or air circulating unit separably united for utilizing the fan unit independent of the heater unit andwhen combined `to provide a forced draft heater with the fanunit as thebase for the vheater unit.

Another object of the invention. is to provide a domestic -electric appliance with 'a sectional casing, having an electric motor driven fan mounted within the base casing section as an air circulating unit and an elec! tric heater element or elements mounted in the top or head casing'section as av heater unit, with the electric `circuit `connections for the heater element established through a separable switch plug connecting with the switch device for the, fan, whereby the two electric devices are simultaneously controlled by a single electric switch when the units are combined.

WithV these and other features hereinafter` appearing in view,'the invention consists in certain novel combinations, constructions,I

and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described with reference to the-accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred form of the invention, and particularly pointed out in the'claims.

In the saiddr'awings- .Figure 'l is a central vertical sectional View.

Fig. 2 is a plan section oii line 2, 2, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a further feature of the linvention, this view being'drawn on a reduced scale. i i

Like characters' of reference indicate like parts in-the various views. Y

lntlie drawings l designatesa base which is frusto-conical in shape and has openings 2 in the wall thereof to afford communication into the inclosure thereof. A screen 3, dis

`posed on the inside of the wall of the base,

extendsacross the openings 2 as guards to prevent the ingress of lint or material capable of being drawn upwardly bysuction or air currents which might interfere withor be objectionable to the operation of the device. VSupported upon the upper end of the base is a verticallv disposed cylindrical casing section 4.' This casing is o/pen -at both ends,l and the upper edge portions .thereof are reversely bent at adjacent planes to provide an upwardlyy facing channel `5 into vwhich engages the lower edge of an upper vertical casing section 6, which is also open at both ends. The upper portion of this cas- Aing section is ared, and a screen 7.eXtends across the top thereof and is secured in the channel edge of the section to* provide a guard for the heating elements hereinafter described.

Disposed `at diametrically opposite points on the inside of the casing section 6 and secured thereto is a pair of parallel oppositely disposed retainingslidesB, these slides eX- tending vertically from the lower open end of this section. Engaged in these-slidesfor removal therefrom is a pair of slide elementsl` 9, and secured to these slide elements and eX"-' tending acrossthe space between the same are heating element'supports which comprise Ianni'ilar center portions 10 and diametricallypposite arms 11 .extending therefrom and securedto respective slide elements. These supports are spaced vertically and mounted on the upper surface of the annular portions of each is a heating element com'- prising an annular core of mica 12 about which (is wound a resistance wire 13 of usual material and annular inica insulating plates .14.disposed on either side of the core of theA resistance coil. rIhese heating elements are portions. 10 of the supports.

secured together on respectivesupports by cotter pins extending through apertures of therespective annular elements and annular Extending across between the slide elements 9 below the vheatii'ig element Lsupports'are two cross bars 15 which are apertured centrally of the casing, and which support in vertical -position .by said apertures an insulating bush 16'. Sev 4cured in the bore of this bush are two insulating tubes 17 through which extend terminal wires 18.' rllhese wires extend upwardly in spaced relation through the annular heate. `ing elements andv the ends `oit' the .resistance -wires 13 of the heating elements are.

secured thereto in multiple in a usual man.-

ner. The wires 18 extend below the-tubes 17 in spaced 'relation andare secured/to insulated wires 19 1n a usual manner, these wires 19 extending through` an insulated aperture in the casing '6. Thus it will be noted that the heating elements are removably secured in the casing,- and that the heating unit as a' .fhole is removable ltherefrom with obvious advantages. Y

l centrally thereof for the same reason.V The heating elements are arranged` in stepped 'order to e'ect acontact4 ofthe diii'erent zones sagging or warping, and these supports take up the strains arising'i'n the structure b`cheating elements.

The heating elements ,are spaced between the-openings ofthe casing and extend transversely thereof. They have centrally dis- .n posed openings of di'erent sizes andlareof diiferent areas the elements having the larger openings having the greater areas. -This permits the Width of the heating -elements; from the 'outside circumference to the inner clrcumference thereof, to be substantiallyL thesame in all the elements and fpermits of a uniform stepping of the heating'gvelements. rlhe `heating elements are shaped correspondingly with the cross scc-v .ation of the casing'to veii'ect a uniform-fairflow around the casing and are disposed "i ofl air with-the heating-elements in regular order., and the smallestelement is disposed nearestthe ntakeopening -to el'ec't the issuest area to the air flow, after it has assed assenso the other heating elements, so that e air flowis not restricted so much before it passes theslnaller heating elements.

Mounted in a vertical. axis within the the shaft of which .a fan-21 is secured. The fan is adapted to impelairup through the casing, the air being 'drawn in through the openings 2 of the base and passing up 'extends across cause-of expansion or contractions of they @.-fstructure without imparting them to the.

through the` heating unit and finally issuing through the open upper end of thesection 6 I Vthrough the screen 7.

*A screen 22 has upturned edges thereof secured within the .downwardly facing channel formed by the bending'of the upper edge portion of the lower-casing section and` to protect the same.

Main circuit wires 25 lead into ythe lower this sectionl abovethe k)fan 21v '7o lower casing section 4, by means of verti-4 cally spaced cross supports secured to' the lower section, is an electric motor 20 upon casing section 4 and include a switch 26 mounted on the section 4 for controlling the main circuit. .Beyond the switch inside of the lower section, the Imain circuit .wires branch into multiple circuit wires 27 and'28, the circuit wires 27 .leading tothe motor,

lated opening in the lower sectionand con. nectedwith the wires 19, leading to theheating unit as hereinbefore described, by means of a pull plug connection 29, havingI one.'

elementvv secured to the outside of the casing vand connected with the circuit wires 28 and *and the circuit 28 passing through aninsu-f.

having theothe'r element thereof `connected 'with the circuit wires 19.

The upper section 6-is adapted to' bef-re.

moved from the lower section 4, which forms I a base structure with the base 2, to permit rthe use of the yfan as anv air circulatorfthe elements of .the plug 29 being. disengageable iorthi's pukrpose. `It will be noted that when the upper section is removed, the'fan may f .beoperated as an air circulator without any4 vfurther change, the lswitch 26 being mounted .therewith functioning to control the cir'- Scuit through 'the fan as-fwell. as to control :both the fan and heater circuits whenthe `heater vis attached.

I ance ofa great portion `oittalle/.air from'the i last heating element in yafunitary stream f through thelarge opening therethroughyand :G5/to present theheatng'element ofthe great'- Asv hereinbefore described,the is drawn from through the openings 2 et" the baseand is impelledupwardly through the' casing,: i thus drawing the coolerzlower" strata of'air vand impelling it upwardly. This is of ad vantage in the useof. theA device either l as a air "clrculator for obvious heater or van reasons.- t

Invlig.. 3,5a inridifica'tion of the'device. i shown'incorporatlng in addition tothe structurehereinbefore described an air washin and humidfying. .deVCnowto'be describe i* i'. A dwnwardlextending Continuation V30 of the lowlerzsection 4*is'securedv at the4 lowerend orf-this section and terminates in afreduced end within the inclosure of the base.- An open water reservoir 31 is disposed .Within the inclosure of the basel and is sup- -ported from the floor or other surface upon which the base stands, the lower end of the extension is smaller than the opening 'of the reservoir and extends downwardly within the reservoir below the top of the same and is submergedin water 32, contained in 10 the reservoir. The suction of the fan draws the air through the openings 2 of the base,

,over the top of the reservoir and downwardly around the lower` end of the exten-4 sion l'through the water, and then upwardly through the casing as indicated by the arrows in F ig. 3. It will be noted that the air washing device functions, bym reason of its relation with the lower casing section in which the fan is disposed, when the device is used either with the heater section l or with `it removed therefrom.

laving described my invention, I claim:

l. A device of the nature described including a casing provided with spaced intake .and outlet openings, and a series of electrical heating units within the casing and spaced between said openings and extending transversely vof the casing, said elements having centrally disposedy openings therethrough of different sizes, said elements being 'of different areas transversely of the casing, the elements having the larger areas having the greater openings.

2. A device of the 'nature described including a casing provided with spaced intake and outlet openings, and a series of electrical heating units within the casing and spaced between said openings and extending transversely of the casing, said ele-1v mentsl having centrally disposed openings therethrough of different sizes, said elements being 'of dill'erent areas transversely of the casing, the elements having the larger areas having the greater openings andbeing arrano'e'din stepped order.

3. device of the nature described inv cluding a casing provided'with spaced intake and outlet openings, and a series of electrical heating units within the casing and spaced between said openings and extending transversely of thev casing, said elements having centrally disposed openings therethrough of vdifferent sizes, said elements being of different areas transversely ofthe casing, the elements having the larger areas having the greater openings andiarranged in stepped order with the element of vleastv area nearest the intake open ing.

4. A device of the 'nature described including a'casing open at its "opposite-lends, and a series of electrical heating units within thecasing and spaced between said openings and extending transversely of the casing, said elements having centrally /dis- 4posed openings therethrough of different sizes, said elements being' of different areas transversely, of the casin posed centrally of the casing, t e elements having the larger 'openings having the greater area.

5. A device of the nature describedy in-v and vdiscluding a casing open at its opposite ends,

and a series of electrical heating units withinl the casing and spaced between said openings and extending1 transverselyv of the cas ing, said elements aving centrally disposed openings therethrough of different sizes, said elements being of different areas transversely of the casing and disposed centrally of the casing, the elements having the larger openings having the greater area and a1'- ranged in stepped order.

6. A device of the nature described including a casing open at its opposite ends,

and a series of electrical heating units within the casing and spaced between said openings and extending' transversely of the casing, said elements having centrally disposed openings therethrough of different sizes, said elements being of different areas transversely of the casing and disposed centrally of the casing, the elements having the larger openings having the greater area and arranged in stepped order with the element of. least area nearest the intake opening. y

7i A device of ythe character described. in

cluding a casing open at its opposite ends] ucluding a casing open at itspopposite ends to provide intake and outlet openings, and a series of electricalheating elements within thevcasingand spaced between said open'- ings andv extending transversely of the cas- `ing and shaped correspondingly-with the cross section of the casing, said elements of the casing i being of diilerent sizes` transversely of .the

casing and disposed centrally1 thereof and .having different -sized o enings -therethrough at,their centers, kt e larger sized elements havin the larger sizedopenings,

said heating e ements being vdisposed 1n stepped arrangement with the smallest heat- .ing element nearest the vintake opening.:

9.,A device of the-nature described including'a easing provided with spaced in* take and outlet openings, and an electrical heating u nit comprising a frame and a ,series of heatingwelements mounted thereon engaged with said slideelements to support openings and removable as a unit from the y' casing. s .i

10, A device of the nature. described including a casing provided with spaced 1n.

-take and outlet openings one of the' saidf l `to cause the fan to eiiect an air flow against' openings being provided by an open end of the casing, and an electrical heating unit comprising a frame and a series o f heating units mounted thereon'disposed within said a casing and removable asA ap unit from thev means mounted lon said casing and engagcasing through lsaid end opening. e

115A device of the nature described including a casing provided with spaced intake and outlet openings, and a heatin Aelement comprising a frame,a series of eating elements mounted thereon, and circuit terminals connected with the heating elements disposed within the casing-between said openings and removable as a unit from the casing. i

, 12. A device of the nature described includiiig acasing provided with spaced intake and outlet openings, an electrical heat- -ing unit comprising Aa trame and a Aseries of heating elements mountedl thereon and' removable from the casing as a unit, and

said frame detachabl'y.v securing said unit in the casing.

13. A device'of the naturehdescribed including a lcasing provided with s aced intake and outlet openings, an electrical heating unit disposed within said casing and -in- '35 'cludingl `a slide element, and `a' retaining 'slide lelement Vmounted 4on the wall of the easing within the same' and engaged with` "said slide' element to support the heating unit within the casing andJ ada`ted to be disengaged therewith to -of'the heating unit- A 14C. -YA device of the natureA described inpermit t le removal ,cluding a casing open at its ends Ato provide.J

intake and outlet openii'igs,l an electrical heating; unit disposed within Ithe casing, includ- 1 .in 'l oppositel dis osed slide elements,`and

g Y P removal of the heating unit. v 15. A device of the nature .described'in-- oppositely disposed supporting' slides engaged-'with said slide elements t support the 'heating unit within thev casing, and adapted tol bev disengaged therefrom to permitjthe cluding a casing provided withspaced intake ving. including spaced paralleldppositely disf posed slide elements and similarly oppoand'outlet openings, an open en d of the casing providing one'of such openings, anelectric'al heating unit disposed withinlsaidcas- :sitely `disposed parallel supporting slides extending from said open end ofthe casing and said vone end.

linoval of the casing.

intento i 16. AVA device of the character described including a casingprovided withv spaced intake andoutlet openings, an electrical heating unit mounted within said casing between said' openings, an electric motor fan mounted within said casing beneath'the heating unit -said heating unit and through said casing.

posed to effect an air How through said casing When the casing is mounted on the base structure. v

' l18.. A device of the character described including a casing provided with spaced intake and .outlet openings, anelectrical heatingunit .mounted within said casing between said openings, 'a base structureX detachably supporting said casing', and an electric motor fan mounted on vsaidbase structure and disposed to eiiect an air flow through saidlcas- Y ing when the casing is mounted on the base fstructure, an electric circuitincluding said motor fan `and heating unit inniultiple and including a detachable, plug in the heating unit-branch of such circuit to permit there- 19. A device ofthe nature described including' a vertical casing open `atits upper* 'l and lower vends, an electrical4 heating unit within said casing,l'a fan disposed-within o said 'casing and adapted to draw air into the lower opening and to impel the air up through the casing, 'through' the heating unit and out of the upper-openings, and an'electric motor driving said fan.'

f 2U. Arfdevice of the nature described in'-l .cluding a vertical'casing 'open atits upper.

and lower ends an-'d comprising two superposed vertically disposedl detachable casing sections, an electricalheating unit mounted witliin'the upper casing section,- a fan within the lower casing section and adapted to draw air into the` lower bpening and tov-impel .air up through the casing and throughy saidl heater lwhen the. easing vsections are positionedto form the casing, and an electricr4 motor mounted with'the lower casing and drivin said fan. y V L t 2l. device of the nature described including a casing open at its ends to. provide intake and outlet openings, said casing being v comprised of two casing sections detachable mounted within one section between said openings, a fan disposed in the other section and adapted to impel. air through said casing `one from the other, an electric heater unit and through said heatir: g unit when the two sections are in placeto formthe casing, an electric motor 'driving said fan, and means vAvfor Veffecting intimate contact f the air fiow throughv the fan section of the casing with Water,

` and a head sectionv separately united and u'nitarilyprovided with a vertical condnc` y tion, having an airintake at its base, an elecmounted in saidhead section comprisingav tric vmotor driven fan device. mounted in said base sectlon, and an electric heater unit plurality of superposed diferent capacity heater elements.l

24. In a domestic` electric apfiliance, a sectional casing comprising a base section and a head section separately united andv unitarily provided with a vertical conduction, havin an air intake at its base, an elec'- tric motor riven' fan device mounted in said base section, l'andan electric heater element removably mounted vin said head 'casing section. K

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the ltwo 'subscribing witnesses. f

Witnesses:

MONROE PHILIP, JOHN P. PHILLIPS, Jr. 

